FRIDAY CONCERT SERIES 07/08
October 12 – Spice* opens for 2nd Story www.2ndstoryband.com
November 30 – 4 Shillings Short www.art.net/4ss
January 25 – Karen Oliver* opens for Iain Campbell Smith www.iaincampbellsmith.com
February 29 – Lori Kelley & Cletus Kennelly www.cletusandlori.com
March 28 – Subscribers’ thank you dinner/concert with Greta Ehrig and Michelle Murray
May 23 – Small Potatoes www.smallpotatoesmusic.com
*Additional members of the Baltimore Songwriters Association may open for other concerts.
About the musicians
October 12 – 2nd Story's musical roots run deep: Co-founders Meagan Lane and Geoff de Mers, have been singing and performing together in the DC area since ‘76. Over the years and in their many musical incarnations - folk, blues and swing, Irish, Celtic, Country, FM Pop cover tunes, Alternative Rock, Funk, West African, Latin and Caribbean - Meagan and Geoff have allowed their multi-cultural musical associations to influence every aspect of their art. The unique 2nd Story Band sound is greatly due to the influence of the music scene embedded deeply in the cultural diversity of Washington.
November 30 - Four Shillings Short Traveling musicians with a carload of instruments is nothing new in the world of folk music, but what if one of those instruments is a Sitar from India or a Renaissance Crumhorn? Going out on a musical limb is common for the group Four Shillings Short. With an ever-increasing array of instruments including hammered dulcimer, mandola & mandolin, tinwhistle & woodwinds, sitar, banjo, percussion accompanying amazing vocals, their music is always varied and captivating. In a single night, Four Shillings Short perform Traditional Irish tunes and airs, Indian Ragas, Folk Ballads, Old-Time songs, Medieval & Renaissance instrumentals and acappella numbers as well as contemporary folk and original compositions. Their sound has been described as "wondrously diverse", "truly refreshing" and "alternative neo-Celtic folk of the first order". This diverse duo calls California and Ireland home.
January 25 – Iain Campbell Smith In concert he performs songs ranging from wry comic dirges to tender ballads of loss and survival reflecting personal stories from life in a conflict zone. He presents with a gentle humor and a unique gift for illuminating worlds both familiar and unfamiliar to the audience. A native Australian, Iain has recently relocated to the USA and is touring to promote the Bagarap Empires album, the Bougainville Sky documentary and his newest CD, Ballads and Barsongs just released in the United States. This latest recording turns his attention away from the South Pacific to his new home in the U S. Iain writes touching duets interspersed with comic snapshots of modern America from the viewpoint of a bemused interloper.
February 29 – Lori Kelley & Cletus Kennelly Award-winning singer-songwriters on their own, Cletus & Lori Kelley combined their artistries, developing a style and a sense for each other's voices that is magical. "I haven't heard harmonies this tight since Simon & Garfunkel" (Gene Dawson, Dawson Concerts) Their work has earned them 31 WAMMIE nominations and nine WAMMIE awards (Washington Area Music Awards) between them, including the WAMMIE award for BEST CONTEMPORARY FOLK GROUP (twice). Both approach their writing from a lyrical, melodic place with songs that speak to the heart. The wit and depth each adds to the other's songs makes for an engaging show. As solo artists, and again as a duo, both Cletus & Lori were selected to perform at D.C.'s Kennedy Center.
March 28 - Michelle Murray has been playing guitar and composing songs for over 20 years. She received a 2006 Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) "Wammie" nomination for Best Contemporary Folk Recording for her CD "Collection of Songs," and the trio she often performs with, Murray, Crump & Hatley, was nominated for Best Contemporary country, blues, and swing to Irish, with songwriting that touches on all of those styles and more. They even yodel. Dirty Linen Magazine called them “one of the most polished, inventive, and entertaining shows on the circuit”.Folk Group. She serves on the board and hosts an open mike for Songwriter's Association of Washington. An award-winning poet, Greta Ehrig has recently turned her pen to songwriting. Tender/sultry/thoughtful lyrics lift off the page through gorgeous melodies, varied guitar-work, and a clarion voice that other singer-songwriters liken to Suzanne Vega and Judy Collins. Greta gives as many as five performances a week in the mid-Atlantic area. She coordinates a house concert and literary series in Takoma Park, MD.
May 23 - Small Potatoes is Jacquie Manning and Rich Prezioso. This Chicago-based duo has been touring on the folk circuit since 1993 and in that time they’ve become sought-after regulars at many clubs, coffeehouses across the U.S. They have made repeat appearances at major folk festivals, including the Kerrville Folk Festival, the Walnut Valley Folk Festival, and Philadelphia Folk Festival. They were one of the “most requested” acts at the 1999 Falcon Ridge New Artist Showcase. Jacquie is also a winner of the 1998 Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Contest. They call themselves eclecto-maniacs. They describe their music as “Celtic to Cowboy” and say it has taken them “years of careful indecision” to come up with their mix of music.